Mexico native is Manatee’s 10th homicide victim

MANATEE — Detectives arrested a man on a murder charge after he allegedly stabbed a 33-year-old Bradenton man in the chest in the parking lot of a restaurant early Saturday morning, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

Fernando Castulo Morales, of Bradenton, died from injuries he received after he approached a man in the parking lot of Antojitos Mexicanos restaurant, 320 Cortez Road W. The woman he was with, April Soria, 24, was also stabbed in her hand when she tried to break up the fight, according to authorities.

Family and friends of Morales gathered at his residence Saturday throughout the day. His yellow modified Honda Accord sat parked in the shade. The trophies he won for the customized car sat on the top.

“He was a pretty cool guy. He didn’t mess with anyone,” said David Carrillo, Morales’ cousin. “He was a really calm person. ... He was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Vargas-Lopez in December was arrested on a charge of dating violence battery after he allegedly punched his girlfriend. The charge was dropped in January.

Morales, who worked in landscaping, leaves behind a 9-year-old son in New York. Most of his family resides in Mexico. His friends and some of his family members are trying to raise money to send his body back.

“We want to send him back. His mom and sisters are over there. We were told it would cost an estimated $10,000,” Carrillo said.

Morales is the 10th person killed so far this year in Manatee County. There were only four homicides reported for the entire first half of 2008.

“The good news is we’ve had four for seven in arrests,” said Bristow referring to the sheriff’s office cases.

“The bad news is we had seven. It has to slow down.”

There have been six arrests in 10 of this year’s cases.

The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with any information can call the sheriff’s office at (941) 747-3011 or remain anonymous by calling Crimestoppers at (866) 634-TIPS (8477).